Actor Yusupov told how he helps shell-shocked soldiers restore their speech: “They knock out a wedge with a wedge”

Vitaly Yusupov is from Gorlovka. He has been working in the Donetsk Music Drama for more than 30 years, and his repertoire includes more than fifty characters.

“At one time, I graduated from the acting department of the Dnepropetrovsk Theater School,” says Vitaly. — Then he studied at the Kiev National University of Theater, Film and Television. At some point I realized that I, as a director, lacked psychological education. And he entered the Pedagogical Institute, where he received a degree in psychology.

And soon an armed conflict broke out in Donbass. On May 26, 2014, militants of the Ukrainian Armed Forces used military aircraft against the civilian population of Donetsk. Donetsk residents were declared separatists. The city was under constant shelling.

— The theater was no longer working. My friend and I went to the city executive committee. They organized a psychological assistance service, sat in the basement and answered phone calls. People were confused. They asked why they were shooting, why there was no light, who had taken their gates, where they should go to get their pension… Houses were collapsing before their eyes, they did not know what to do, how to live on.

When the special military operation began, Vitaly Yusupov began to help as a volunteer in the medical and psychological center, where soldiers with shell shock are treated, their speech is impaired or it has completely disappeared.

— With concussion, people are disoriented in space. They can walk and suddenly forget where they are and where they are going. They experience syncope—short-term fainting. Due to insufficient blood supply to the brain tissue, a person suddenly loses consciousness with weakening muscle tone. Such attacks – “off” and “on”, lasting one or two minutes, can occur several times a day. This occurs with brain contusions.

As our interlocutor says, concussion also often causes headaches, sleep disturbances and anxiety. The fighters are worried about fears. The guys are dreaming, but it seems to them that all this is really happening.

From the fear suffered, as our interlocutor says, the fighters may lose their speech.

“Their laryngeal muscle cramps, the signal in the brain does not work, there is muscle tension. They hear everything, understand, but cannot speak.

Vitaly Yusupov tells what happens when a person suffers two or three concussions.

– He is covered by a blast wave. He rests for a day, the headaches go away, it seems to him that everything is fine. And there’s a new fight. And more serious consequences are already underway.

Our interlocutor says that he had an internal need to help the fighters. And he began to come to the medical and psychological center every weekday morning. Conduct both group and individual classes with wounded soldiers.

“I do speech and breathing exercises with them from the actors’ arsenal. I teach them to relax through breathing. They must do all exercises consciously, only then will the therapeutic effect occur.

With the consent of the fighters, Vitaly Yusupov puts them in a state of distress, and then switches their attention to a calmer environment.

— As they say, we knock out wedges with wedges.

While developing his method, Vitaly turned to the developments of psychiatrist, neurologist, physiologist and psychologist Vladimir Bekhterev.

Over the course of two years of the special operation, Vitaly helped hundreds of soldiers restore speech and get rid of stuttering.

— I remember a very young boy Alyosha (name changed), who was 24 years old. At first he was in the Ministry of Emergency Situations, then he volunteered for the People’s Militia of the DPR. He was admitted to the medical and psychological center after being seriously wounded and concussed. He was completely speechless. I worked with him for two weeks, conducted three sessions. And Alyosha spoke, and then got rid of his stuttering. Now he is again on the front line, an active fighter. I remember when I was leaving for the Northern Military District zone, I shared with me: “I will go to the end, I will remain in the unit until we liberate the entire Donbass.”

Vitaly Yusupov says that it happens that fighters start talking after the first session. And sometimes, in order to make progress and regain speech, you have to work for a month or a month and a half.

As our interlocutor says, he remembers the names and call signs of all the fighters he helped. Vitaly stays in touch with all of them. They communicate like family now.

— At one time, we helped a 27-year-old soldier of the People’s Militia of the DPR, Yaroslav Mukhtarov. He had a mine explosion injury and his shoulder joint was damaged. He now needs complex prosthetics for part of his arm. A muscle transplant operation is needed, which is not performed in the DPR. Without this, a guy’s hand may remain motionless for the rest of his life. Yaroslav has already gone to the Burdenko hospital. I really want the guy to get help. He was at the forefront from the beginning of the special operation. And now he wants to get back into action.

Vitaly Yusupov also remembers the incredibly lucky soldier Vladislav (name changed), who was the only one who survived the shelling of their infantry fighting vehicle.

– Moreover, he was a gunner, he was in the tower itself. Three people died, but he was saved. Vladislav had a mine explosion injury, his arm was damaged, he received burns and a brain concussion. He came to our medical and psychological center from the burn department of the Gusak Institute of Emergency and Reconstructive Surgery. I’ve been working with him for three months.

Vitaly Yusupov also often takes fighters to the theater with the permission of the attending physicians.

— I also ask permission from our artistic director. They are coming towards me. The guys must adapt to peaceful life. You should have seen how their eyes sparkle after the performance. What emotions do they experience? This also helps fight stress and anxiety.

Vitaly Yusupov is 59 years old. The energy in him is in full swing. And most importantly, over the years he has not lost his optimism and love of humanity. He manages to conduct training sessions with the fighters, come to rehearsals, and perform a performance. And then come home, walk with two dogs, talk with four cats and read a book to my granddaughter at night.